Wednesday, February 27, 2013

Hello Rum Students! We continue our rum lessons from last posting. We have recently reviewed the differing TYPES of Rum, but even more information is available. Remember Information is Power!!! Have a great read and Thank you to:

I am -- of course...

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Types
Of Rum

Most
rums can be classified in one or more of a few distinct categories.

White
Or Clear Rum

White
rum is clear, usually has milder flavor and lighter body than gold or
dark rums. These light rums are most often used to create cocktails
that do not have a need for bold rum flavor.In
the U.S., most white rums are sold at 80 proof, or 40% alcohol by
volume. They are often aged one or more years, then filtered to
remove color. White rums may be cheaper to make and less expensive to
purchase that more mature rums.White
rums are popular in the most common drinks, such as the Cuba Libre
(rum, Coke and lime), the Daiquiri, the Mojito and the Piña Colada.
Many rum cocktails call for a white or light rum, a gold rum and/or
dark or spiced rum.Popular
white rums include Bacardi Superior, Don Q Cristal, Cruzan Estate
Light, Oronoco, Mount Gay Silver, Matusalem Plantino, Rubi Rey, 10
Cane, Flor de Caña Extra Dry and Diplomatico Rum Blanco.

Gold
Or Pale Rum

As
rum mellows in barrels over time, it takes on amber or golden hues.
These golden rums usually present a more flavorful profile than the
white or clear rums. Gold rums are used to make cocktails in which a
stronger flavor is desired. Gold
rums are often aged several years or more and some coloring may be
added to provide consistency. Subtle flavors of vanilla, almond,
citrus, caramel or coconut may be present from the type of barrels
used in the aging process.Gold
rums are often enjoyed on the rocks or neat, in addition to being
used in cocktail recipes. They are popular in recipes for baking and
making desserts as well.These
medium bodied rums are often quite affordable compared to older aged
rums that have allowed to mature for many years.Examples
of gold rums include 1 Barrel, Abuelo, Appleton Special, Barcelo
Dorado, Brugal Añejo, Bermudez Ron Dorado, Cacique Anejo Superior,
Cockspur 5 Star, Diplomatico Añejo, Doorly's 5, Don Q Gold, El
Dorado 5, Gosling's Gold, Matusalem Clasico, Maui Gold Rum, Montanya
Gold, Mount Gay Eclipse, Pyrat Pistol, Sergeant Classic Gold and
Sunset Captain Bligh Golden Rum.

Dark
Rum

Dark
rums are often matured in oak barrels for two or more years to
develop rich flavors and hues of mahogany, copper and caramel. The
label of dark rum is often assigned to a range of rums that are not
clear, from light golden amber to black, as well as rums that are
well aged.Dark
rums are often aged in oak barrels for extended periods. When used in
cocktail recipes, the robust rums offer a contrast of more flavorful
profiles compared to white rums, overproof rums, flavored and spiced
rums.Examples
of dark rums include Cruzan Estate Dark, Bacardi Select, Flor de Caña
5 Black Label, Barbancourt 3 Star, Diplomatico Anejo, Angostura Dark
5, Angostura 1919, Appleton V/X, Barcelo Dorado, Cockspur 5, El
Dorado 5, Matusalem Classico, Mount Gay Eclipse and Santa Teresa
Selecto.

Black
Rum

The
darkest, richest, heavy bodied rums are often referred to as black
rums, offering bold tropical essence to libation and recipes. Black
rums are popular ingredients used to balance the flavors of drinks
against gold, white and spiced rums.Most
rum is made from molasses, a thick, dark sweet liquid left over in
the process of manufacturing crystalized sugar. The black rums retain
much of this rich molasses and caramel flavoring and are sometimes
colored with burnt caramel to achieve consistently dark hues.Black
rums are essential to many uses in the baking and candy-making
industries, imparting bold sweet spicy flavors to cakes, candies,
desserts and sauces.The
barrels used to mature black rums are often charred or fired heavily,
imparting much of the wood's strong flavors to the liquid.Black
rums are popular in British territories such as Bermuda, Jamaica, the
Virgin Islands and Guyana.Examples
of black rums include Coruba, Cruzan Black Strap, Gosling's Black
Seal, Maui Dark Rum, Myers's, Skipper Demerara, Woods 100, and
Whaler's Dark.

Navy
Rum

Navy
rum refers to the traditional dark, full-bodied rums associated with
the British Royal Navy.The
Royal Navy was famed for its custom of providing a daily ration of
rum to sailors, as far back as 1655 when the British fleet captured
the island of Jamaica. Rum traveled aboard ships far better that
French brandy. As a matter of fact, where grape-based spirits of wine
and brandy eventually went bad in the heat of the tropics, rum seemed
to improve as it aged in the barrels aboard ship.Around
1740, the practice of watering down the rum and supplementing it with
lime to prevent scurvy became popular. This change is often credited
to Admiral Edward Vernon, who was known to wear an old grogham coat
and his potion was nicknamed grog, or later, tot. The tradition of
providing British sailors with a daily ration of rum continued until
July 31, 1970, known as black tot day.

To
ensure the viability of the economies of its territories, recipes for
navy rum included blends of spirit from British territories,
including Guyana, Jamaica, Barbados and Trinidad.One
of the first official purveyors of rum to the Navy was Mr. Lemon
Hart, starting in the early 1800s. A few decades later, Alfred Lamb
began aging his dark rum in cool cellars beneath the river Thames,
earning his product the nickname of London dock rum. The Lemon Hart
brand was registered in 1888 and remains to this day a popular staple
of naval-style rums. United Rum Merchants was created as a merger of
several leading rum concerns.Unique
to the rums of Guyana is their legacy 200 year old wooden pot still
that produces an uncommonly rich and full bodied spirit. This
Demerara rum is an essential ingredient in many navy rums.The
final supply of old British Royal Navy Imperial Rum, representing the
spirit of international adventure, honor and bravery on the high
seas, have recently been re-bottled and are available for the most
serious rum collectors.Some
popular navy style rums include Lamb's Navy Rum, Pusser's, Lemon
Hart, Skipper Demerara and Wood's 100.

Premium
Aged Rum

Many
fine rums are aged in oak barrels for years to achieve a superior
flavor profile. The interaction of spirit and wood has a positive
effect on the smoothness, the richness and the subtle flavors of the
rum.Aged
rums often represent the finest examples of mature rums from a
distillery, often blended to achieve complexity and distinctive
flavor profiles. The cost of storage and the loss of some rum from
the barrels through evaporation adds to the cost of producing aged
rums.These
older, more mature rums, often labeled as anejo in Spanish
territories, are often enjoyed neat or on the rocks like a fine
cognac or single malt scotch. In addition, many cocktail recipes call
for the inclusion of these flavorful and rich rums.Aged
rums generally take on darker and richer colors due to the time spent
in barrels. Charred oak barrels can impart dark tones. Cognac and
sherry barrels can produce a reddish tint.Rums
labeled premium or ultra-premium often contain age statements. In the
U.S. and some other territories, the age statement refers to the
youngest rum in the blend. For example, Appleton Estate 21 from
Jamaica is comprised of aged rums at least 21 years old. Other
territories have differing standards. For example, Zacapa Centenario
23 from Guatemala is a blend of rums aged 6 to 23 years old.Premium
aged rums include Angostura 1824, Appleton Extra, Atlantico Private
Cask, Bacardi 8 and Reserva Limitada, Barbancourt Reserve Especiale
and Estate Reserve, Barrilito 3 Star, Barceló Imperial, Botran
Solera 1893, Don Q Gran Anejo, Chairman's Reserve, Cockspur 12,
Cubaney 15, Diplomatico Reserva Exclusiva, El Dorado 15, Flor de Caña
18, Gosling's Family Reserve, Matusalem Gran Reserva, Mount Gay Extra
Old and 1703, Santa Teresa 1796, Trigo Reserva Aneja, Vizcaya VXOP,
Zacapa Centenario XO and Zaya.

Vintage
Rum

While
most rums sold in the U.S. are blended from multiple sources before
bottling, some unique rums are bottled from specific vintage years of
production.Vintage
rums are most often seen from the French islands, where the growing
and processing season is short. In some cases, private label rum
brands purchase a large bulk of rum from a single production year,
age the product and bottle it when maturity is peaking.Like
in the production of fine wines, in some years the harvest is
bountiful, while others are not as abundant. The amount of sugar
contained in the raw cane might vary each year due to changes in
rainfall and other environmental factors. The resulting differences
are noted by the master distiller and the maturing process is
monitored to achieve the ideal flavor profile for that vintage year.Vintage
rums are labeled with the year they were distilled and the location
of their origin. Examples are Rhum J.M. 1997 Vintage from Martinique,
Plantation Venezuela 1992 and the 1998 Vintage from Foursquare Rum
Distillery in Barbados.

Overproof
Rum

Most
rums available for sale in the U.S. are 80 to 100 proof (40% to 50%
alcohol by volume). Rums which contains higher concentrations of
alcohol are often labeled as overproof.Rums
produced for popular consumption are distilled to remove non-alcohol
components. The modern distillation process produces a spirit that is
generally 160 to 190 proof alcohol. After aging and blending, most
rums are diluted with water to reach the 80 proof standard.Some
rums, such as Sunset Very Strong Rum from St. Vincent are not
diluted. Sunset VSR is bottled at the full cask strength of 169
proof.U.S.
regulations prevent rums over 155 proof from entering the U.S. under
most circumstances, so many manufacturers produce rums in the 150
proof range, such as Bacardi 151, Cruzan 151, El Dorado 151 High
Strength Rum, Bruddah Kimio's Da Bomb 155, Gosling's 151 and
Matusalem 151 Red Flame.One
of the most popular overproof rums is Jamaica's Wray And Nephew White
Overproof at 126 proof. This potent spirit is the most popular rum
sold in Jamaica.Overproof
rums tend to be more popular in the Caribbean Islands where locals
prefer a stronger drink. They're also used in cooking recipes that
call for rum to be ignited in flame (flambé) or drinks that blend a
very strong rum into their recipe.Classic
rum punches are often made with high-proof rum mixed with tropical
juices (and sometimes flavored rums and liqueurs) to deliver a
"punch" to those that enjoy them.

Rhum
Agricole

Rhum
Agricole is a specific category of rhum made principally in the
French territories of the Caribbean, including Martinique,
Guadeloupe, Marie-Galante and St. Barths. Reunion Island (a French
Overseas Territory, like Martinique) and it's neighboring Island
Nation of Maritius in the southwest Indian Ocean also produce
Agricoles. Rhums made in Haiti from cane juice may also be considered
agricole by some experts.

Martinique
is the only geographic region in the world to have an AOC mark in the
rum industry. Similar to the AOC marks for champagne and cognac, the
Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée for Martinique rhum agricole is a
standard of production, aging and labeling.Rhum
Agricole is fermented and distilled from pure, fresh cane juice. The
spirit is distilled to about 70 percent alcohol, a lesser degree than
most molasses-based rums, allowing the rhum to retain more of the
original flavor of the full cane juice.The
lighter rhums agricole are rested for up to six months before being
bottled as rhum blanc. They're often used in the popular cocktail
known as petit punch ('ti punch) mixed with lime and cane syrup.Other
more mature rhums have been aged in oak barrels for years, taking on
richer hues and flavors. After three years of maturing, the rhums are
labeled rhum vieux (old rum). Some of these exceptional spirits are
bottled as vintages, such as wines from France. For example, the Rhum
J.M. 1997 vintage spent ten years in oak before being bottled in
2007.Some
examples of rhums agricole include Clément XO and Cuvee Homere,
Darboussier Rhum Vieux 1983, Depaz Blue Cane Amber Rhum, Rhum J.M.
Agricole Blanc, La Favorite Rhum Agricole Vieux, Neisson Rhum Réserve
Spéciale, St. James Hors d'Age.

Cachaça

The
Brazilian sugar cane spirit known as cachaça (kah-SHA-sah) is one of
the most popular categories of cane spirit in the world. Made from
fresh sugar cane juice, cachaça is often bottled with little or no
aging in barrels, presenting a full-flavored profile spirit most
popularly enjoyed in cocktails, such as the caipirinha
(kai-pee-REEN-yah), the national drink of Brazil.Some
premium products, referred to as artisanal cachaças, are often made
in small quantities and aged in woods indigenous to Brazil. The
region of Minas Gerais in Brazil is well know for producing artisanal
cachaça. Using natural yeast in the environment, these spirits are
distilled in copper pots in small batches. Maturing in wood develops
special aroma components and softens the finish.Large
manufacturers of cachaça use tall column stills of stainless steel
to produce vast volumes of spirit in a continuous process, most of
which is enjoyed without maturing in barrels.Examples
of popular cachaças available in the U.S. include Agua Luca, Beija,
Beleza Pura, Boca Loca, Cabana, Cachaça 51, Cuca Fresca, Fazenda Mãe
de Ouro, Leblon, Moleca, Rio D, Sagatiba and Ypioca.

Flavored
and Spiced Rum

The
myriad types of flavors and spices infused into rums offer a wide
range of interesting and multifarious variations of spirits, both
full proof and limited potency liqueurs and creams. Spiced rums offer
unique flavors to cocktails, rum cakes, holiday libations and many
other uses, bringing decidedly tropical flavors to the palate.Spices
are generally derived from the seeds, dried fruit, root, leaf or bark
of edible flora. These aromatic and pungent vegetal substances often
provide excitement and zest to sweeter liquids. Many popular spiced
concoctions were originally devised and distilled as medicinal cures
and treatments for a laundry list of ailments known to plague modern
society in the post-industrial generations. Many popular drink
ingredients in the category of bitters evolved from such intendedly
curative mixtures.Roots
of ginger, seeds of vanilla and allspice, bark of cinnamon or cassia
and buds of clove are commonly used as flavoring agents for spiced
rums. Fruit extracts of citrus, cherry, mint, black currant, coconut,
mango, pineapple, banana and other tropical plants and trees bring
luscious tones to flavored rum varieties.Rum
creams combine rum flavor with rich and decadent dairy textures to
create dessert-like mixtures suitable for after-dinner libations or
as a creamy base to other spirited drinks.U.S.
laws require products labeled as rum to contain at least 40% alcohol
by volume. Some distilled spirits that do not meet this requirement
are labeled as flavored rum, whether or not they contain discernible
or dominant flavor agents.Some
popular brands of spiced and flavored rums include Captain Morgan,
Sailor Jerry, Pango, Montecristo, Foursquare, Malibu Coconut Rum,
Castries Peanut Rum Cream, Bacardi Limon and Dragonberry, Cruzan
Mango and Coconut, Don Q Passion, Parrot Bay Coconut Rum, Crisma Rum
Cream and Taylor's Velvet Falernum.

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I have to admit -- We accomplished a lot over the last few times we've been together. But, I don't know about you -- The knowledge I have now will help me talk Rum, Allow me to perhaps have others join in and re-discover the real rums!

Monday, February 25, 2013

A lot of good reading here. There is a lot so I split it up. Part II in the next post. I stumble upon these informative posts all the time and I want us all to be educated when it comes to our favorite spirit!

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Rum 101 - What IS Rum?

Definition:Rum
is an alcoholic spirit made from sugar cane, or it's derivatives.
According to the United States Government Federal Standards of
Identity, the following paragraph offers an official definition of
rum.

(f)
Class 6; rum. "Rum" is an alcoholic distillate from the
fermented juice of sugar cane, sugar cane syrup, sugar cane molasses,
or other sugar cane by-products, produced at less than 190 proof in
such manner that the distillate possesses the taste, aroma and
characteristics generally attributed to rum, and bottled at not less
than 80 proof; and also includes mixtures solely of such distillates.

Factors
Affecting Rum Production

Significant
factors that affect the taste, quality, color and viscosity of rum
include the raw fermenting materials, the method of fermentation
including the types of yeast used to convert sugars to alcohols, the
method(s) of distillation, the process of maturing the spirits over
time, the quality of water used and, in many cases, the blending of
various cane spirits to create a final product. Additionally, some
rum products include flavors and coloring agents as well.

Fermentation
and Distillation

When
sugar cane juice or other sugar-based liquids are allowed to rest, a
natural process of fermentation occurs where sugars are converted by
yeast into alcohols, at approximately the strength of wines. To
further concentrate these alcohols, the process of distillations
isolates much of the alcohol components by evaporating and condensing
them into a second holding tank. The resulting distilled liquid
contains mostly alcohol, plus some other ingredients that provide
unique flavors. The more these alcohols are isolated, the fewer
flavor components remain in the solution

Raw
Materials Used For Making Rum

Sugar
Cane spirits vary greatly in the manner in which they are created and
by the products from which they are fermented.

Fresh
Cane Juice

Some
rums are made directly from cane juice, which is fermented
immediately after being crushed. This raw sugar cane liquid typically
contains 18 to 24 percent sugar in solution. Rums made from fresh
sugar cane juice include the cachaças from Brazil and the Rhums
Agricole from Martinique. Raw cane juice is not able to be stored for
extended periods and must be fermented soon after being crushed.

Molasses

Most
of the rum distilled in the world today is made from molasses, a
by-product of the crystalline sugar making process. After all of the
crystalline sugar has been removed from the sugar cane juice, the
left-over molasses still contains fermentable sugars and can be
stored for extended periods of time. A finer quality premium
table-grade molasses contains more natural sugars and flavors.

Cane
Syrup

A
third type of rum stock is concentrated sugar cane syrup, sometimes
referred to Sugar Cane Honey or Sweet Table-Grade Molasses, which
still contains all the sugars present in cane juice, with most of the
water removed. This concentrated cane syrup may contain more than 90
percent sugar and is able to be stored to be fermented and distilled
at a later date.

The
Classic Plantation Or Estate Method

In
simple terms, the classic centuries-old process of making rum from
sugar cane juice is straightforward. When the cane fields are
harvested, the stalks of cane are crushed and the juice collected.
After extracting crystaline sugar from the reduced juice, the
resulting left-over molasses is fermented to begin the rum process.Selected
yeasts are added to convert sugar to alcohol. The resulting fermented
sugar cane solution is then distilled or concentrated to 140-190
proof and stored in barrels.The
classic plantation method is seasonal and the process is over after
the harvest is complete. There are few rum making operations in the
world that continue to follow the classic plantation method.

Modern
Methods Of Making Rum

The
Traditional Pot Still

Many
artisanal rums are produced by small companies in small quantities.
The traditional pot still is a method of distilling fermented product
in relatively small batches. The fine art of the distiller is the key
to success for the traditional pot still method. The disadvantage is
that each distinct batch may vary to some degree and high volume
production is not always feasible.

The
Column Still

Most
modern, well known brands of rum are made from molasses distilled in
large column stills. The process involves heating the fermented
molasses wine (sometimes called beer or wash) in tall columns. Steam
in the column strips the alcohol from the fermented wine. The alcohol
rich vapor is collected from the top of the column then condensed
into a clear high proof alcohol.

Resting
And Maturing

Rums
generally gain golden and amber hues as they mature. Some distillers
use burnt sugar or caramel coloring to further enhance or balance the
color for consistency. Many dark rums gain most of their rich color
and often their full-bodied flavor from added caramel or molasses.Like
vodka, which is nothing more than clear distilled alcohol with water
added, fresh rum, when first distilled,
is clear and lacks the sophisticated flavors and golden amber hues of
fine sipping rums. Unlike vodka, only a few rums are bottled before
being aged.Clear
rums like Bacardi Silver and Don Q Cristal are aged at least one year
to gain smoothness, then carbon filtered to remove the color gained
from the barrels during the time spent aging.Among
premium rums
on the market, aging in oak barrels is one key element to producing a
superior product. The choice of used whiskey and bourbon barrels is
common. The alcohols in the rum interact with the wood to add subtle
flavors, extract color and develop a smooth characteristic that is
highly desirable to aged rums. For example, Appleton rums from
Jamaica are aged in used Jack Daniels whiskey barrels from Tennessee.Another
method for maturing rums is the use of new oak barrels, often charred
to an alligator-skin type texture, giving the rum a stronger
interaction with the wood element in the maturing process. The size
of the barrel makes a difference as well. Small barrels offer a
higher wood to spirit ratio and tend to mature faster.Some
rums are aged in barrels previously used for sherry, cognac, port and
other distillates, imparting their own unique characteristics. These
variations can give a master blender a range of flavors with which to
create unique blends.

Because
methods of maturing can vary greatly, the simple age statement on a
bottle of rum is not always an indication of the maturity of the
spirit. Rums aged in small charred oak barrels, for example, can
become quite mature at three to five years, while other methods take
many more years to achieve similar wood-infused flavor profiles.

Color,
Clarity and Viscosity

Rums
generally gain golden and amber hues as they mature. Some distillers
use burnt sugar or caramel coloring to further enhance or balance the
color for consistency. Many dark rums gain most of their rich color
and often their full-bodied flavor from added caramel or molasses.Over
time, some water and alcohol evaporates from the aging barrel. This
missing liquid has long been called the "angel's share."
The remaining product in the aging barrel becomes more concentrated
in flavor, color and viscosity.

When
evaluating fine rums, judges will examine the color, clarity and
viscosity of rums by holding a tasting glass up to a light source and
swirling the product. The resulting drips of liquid on the glass,
known as "legs" offer an indication as to the range of thin
or thick characteristics. The rich color of the rum may indicate a
level of maturity compared to other products. Exceptional clarity may
indicate sophisticated filtering methods have been used.

Blending
Rums

The
master blender of a fine spirit is the rock star of the organization,
possessing great talents and abilities necessary to produce the
unique products of that brand. There are mysteries and closely
guarded secrets involved in the aging and blending of fine spirits.
In many cases, aged rums are blended, then stored in barrels again to
further mature and "marry the flavors" before bottling the
final product.One
unique method of blending, known as the Solera Method, involves
adding small amounts of newer rum to barrels of aged rum as the
angel's share is depleated. After many years, the resulting marriage
of rums of many ages can create a complex blend often described as a
symphony of tones or flavors.

Age
Statements

In
the US, the age statement must refer to the youngest rum in the
bottle.

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Alright, Class, It's recess time! Relax, review have a sip or two. No tests -- but you'll be able to talk rum so much better. And Let's face it we never know when we might be in the mood for a nice, well-crafted hearty rum and know just what to ask for.

Friday, February 22, 2013

From About.com to all of you. There are many rum sites and many distilled spirit sites. Leave it to the Rum Runner to try and find things that spark interest. I found the information imparted by Ms Graham to be very refreshing and it really answered so many questions.

An Introduction to Rum

It is rather hard to define the entire
rum family as a group because of the variety of rum produced. Each of
the light, gold, dark and spiced rums have their own distinct
characteristics and furthermore the rums produced in each country
differ from one another due to varying laws and tradition in
production.

History:

After Columbus's introduction of sugarcane to the West Indies in
1493 the first rum was produced in Brazil, Barbados and Jamaica
making rum the first spirit of the New World. By the mid 1700's rum
was being made throughout the Carribean
and South America. It soon became popular in New England and was
produced there as well. The Rum Sling made of rum, sugar, water and
lemon juice is considered the first American cocktail.

Distillation:

The use of sugar cane distinguishes rum
from other liquors. The sweet juices from the sugar cane are turned
into molasses and this syrup is then fermented
into rum. Rum is then aged
in casks, the type of cask used is the determining factor on the
color of rum produced in the end.

Light Rum:

Light-bodied rum is sometimes referred to as White or Silver and
is a very subtle liquor, much like vodka
with a sweet tooth. These rums are generally aged
in stainless steel tanks for up to a year and filtered before
bottling. This process gives light rums their clean, light flavor and
makes this variety the most common rum for cocktails.

Gold Rum:

Medium-bodied rums are often called Gold or Amber rum and are rich
and smooth. This is a result of either the production of congeners
(organic compounds produced during production) or the addition of
caramel. Gold rums are often aged
in oak casks which also contribute to their dark, smooth
characteristics. Gold rums make a smooth sipper and can be used in
place of light rum in some darker cocktails.

Dark Rum:

Heavy-bodied or dark rums are typically used in rum punches and
are combined with light rum in many cocktails such as a Hurricane.
These are the richest rums that receive their flavor from being aged
in charred oak casks. Besides adding a rich, sweet flavor to
cocktails, dark rums are the preferred sipper of the rum family,
especially Angostura 1824 and Barbanco 15 year.

A subcategory of dark rums are those called blackstrap. These are
produced from the darkest molasses produced by the third boiling
while refining sugar and the resulting rum is equally as dark, rich,
and thick. Examples of blackstrap rums are Cruzan
Black Strap and Captain
Morgan Black Spiced Rum.

Flavored Rum:

Flavoring rum by adding spices and aromatics during the
distillation
has become popular in the latter part of the 20th century. Beginning
with coconut and spiced rums, the variety of flavored rums has grown
to exceed the number of flavored gin and vodka options available.

Overproof or high-proof rum is often only used as a float
or dash
in cocktails. This potent rum is 75% pure alcohol (150 proof) and can
be dangerous to the human body if it is not diluted in some way.
Never use overproof liquors of any kind in cooking or near an open
flame.

The Runner Wraps it up...

Yes I too still have even more questions... Like, "I loved CSR from St. Kitts, but since it was from there rather than Brazil, was it still a Cachaca rum??"

A Plea

Always looking for good rum (preferably American Made Rum) content. If you are a write, a drinker, a drinker-writer or a #Rumlover.... And can scrawl; please send articles for Rick The Rum Runner. We are always looking for good stuff and want to build a stable of writers. Send ideas, finished works etc to Rick, The Rum Runner

Wednesday, February 20, 2013

Ravings of a Rumrunner

I have been talking about this site for some time. Now that Andy has stocked it with many US Rums too, I wanted to spread the word even more. Please join in. I have been able to rate a few rums and even non-US varieties which I don't cover here. It's fun and gives us a place to easily rate a rum and even get rewards! Watch for Rick the Rum Runner to use this site for ratings in the future.

Rumratings.Com Launches With 1000+ Rums, Personalized Cabinets

RumRatings, an online community where members can rate, share and
discover rum, has started with a bang by collecting more than 500
ratings since officially launching 1 January, 2013.

With 1000+ rums from 70 countries that members can add to their
personal cabinet, RumRatings has built a haven for enthusiasts who seek
an international rum selection and real-life feedback.

Founder and ‘Chief RumRater’ Andrew Shannon has been astonished by
the response. “The passion of RumRating’s members has been truly
amazing. The ratings feature in-depth knowledge yet have flooded in - a
few members rated more than 30 rums in 1 day!''

A recent collaboration with El Dorado rum will surely spur more
excitement. In addition to earning badges such as “Captain of the 7
Seas,” each RumRatings member now receives a 15-year El Dorado mini
bottle for rating 15 rums.

“I loved the idea since the beginning - and think it’s a brilliant
site!” says El Dorado’s International Brand Ambassador Stefanie Holt.
“It’s great to see such interesting and passionate ratings from the
initial members, and I expect many more to come.”

By incorporating design features that fit all screen sizes, many
ratings have been submitted while on-the-go through tablets and
smartphones. Future development plans include leader boards, rum
discussions, social logins, and a mobile app.

RumRatings is an online rum community where members can create a
personal rum cabinet, share stories of rum adventure, and discover new
favourite rums. WIth a “RumBase” of 1000+ rums from 70 countries and
hundreds of member ratings, RumRatings is quickly becoming a global
resource for all things rum. The Rumratings online rum community can be
found at www.rumratings.com.

From Rick, the Rum Runner,

For a new site, Rum Ratings makes it SO easy to rate a rum. Also you can go back and re-rate or note changes. I just hit 15 and am still searching both the shelves and my memory for all the rums I have tasted!

Monday, February 18, 2013

Distilled spirits made market share gains on beer and wine in 2012
and now account for more than a third of all alcohol sales. a report
from the Washington-based Distilled Spirits Council said Wednesday

Year-over-year
growth in spirits sales weren't as strong last year as in 2011, but the
industry continues to reap the benefits of regulatory changes made in
the past decade, Peter Cressy, president and CEO of the industry's trade
group said at its annual meeting in New York City with analysts and the
media.

Since 2002, 16 states have adopted laws allowing liquor
sales on Sunday, adding $260 million a year in sales in a
multibillion-dollar industry.

Increasingly, Sunday alcohol sales advocates are using Twitter,
Facebook and other social media to press their case with state
lawmakers, according to Frank Coleman, vice president of communications
at the Distilled Spirits Council.

Sales of distilled spirits are
eroding market share of beer and wines sales in the U.S. and in exports,
where the demand for vodka, scotch and other spirits are soaring,
according to the report.

"Just as in the U.S., premium drinks are
steadily gaining favor, both in traditional export markets and among
the rising middle classes in newly open emerging markets," Cressy said
in the trade group's statement.

The popularity of flavored
liquors is also helping sales. More than 40% of all spirits products in
the U.S. are flavored, with everything from wasabi, coffee and bacon to
the more traditional fruit-flavored spirits.

Vodka, the spirits'
sales leader accounting for 32% of all sales, is offered in more than
100 flavors. Its sales volume rose 4% in 2012.

However, Irish whiskey, showed the biggest sales volume growth in 2012, up 22.5%, the report said.

Video of the week!

Wednesday, February 13, 2013

OK accuse me of dredging up the past –
but while exploring, always looking for history and the resurgence of
not only rum as we knew it – but many rums that actually taste like
something. You'll be surprised that in 05 rum was gaining on vodka in
popularity. While happy to see that – the quote that we (USA) are,
". . .a one-brand country" shows me how far we've come.
Also, not – as far as I can tell, not one American made rum in the
bunch....

Flip Fan On, Elevate Feet, Sip

IN the steamy midst of August, when standing on a subway platform
feels as wet and heavy as a hot bath with your clothes on, it's hard
not to crave escape. Close your eyes and you can almost transport
yourself to the tropics.That blessed little breeze? It's wafting in from the sea, not the
train passing in the other direction. That garbled, indecipherable
noise? It's amazing how a few lazy birds squawking can be so loud and
annoying. That cool, tempting cocktail? Rum, of course.
Planter's punch, daiquiri, piña colada, mai tai, swizzle, mojito
- rum drinks all. No spirit connotes lassitude and indolent
relaxation like rum, at least nowadays. Decades and centuries ago,
rum evoked other images, not nearly so pleasant. Back when the sun
never set on the British Empire, it was the shipboard drink of His
Majesty's enforcers, the Royal Navy, in the form of a daily ration of
grog (one part rum, three parts water, add lemon or lime juice).
Before that, in Colonial America, it was a sturdy component of the
infamous triangle trade, in which rum, sugar, cash and slaves were
among those goods that traveled the route from Europe to Africa and
the New World.
Rum's richly evocative history is matched only by the diversity of
distinctive styles on the market today. Like single malt Scotch, rum
can vary tremendously, depending on where it is produced and by what
method. But unlike Scotch, which must come from Scotland, rum, like
gin and vodka, can be made anywhere in the world. The single
characteristic that unites rums is that they are all distilled from
sugar cane, or to be more accurate, the byproducts of the process of
making sugar out of sugar cane.
But even that is not a precise definition. Most rums use molasses
as their base, but many use sugar cane juice instead, especially rums
made in French-speaking areas, which are labeled rhum agricole, or
agricultural rum. By contrast, molasses-based rums are often referred
to as industrial rum, which is often an unfairly pejorative term.
Either way, rum, America's leading spirit in the 18th century, is
surging in popularity again. It is now second only to vodka in sales
(though by a ratio of more than two to one), according to the
Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, a trade group.
Flushed with heat and ready for fantasy, the Dining section's
tasting panel decided to taste a variety of rums. It was more than
just a transporting experience - it was fascinating, demonstrating
that good rums can be every bit as complex as Scotch or Cognac, and
that they can be enjoyed neat just as easily as in a cocktail,
although sitting on a beach in the tropics, you would hardly want the
cabana boy to return with anything that wasn't cold, tart, sweet and
fruity.
For the tasting, Florence Fabricant and I were joined by Eben
Klemm, director of cocktail development for B. R. Guest, a restaurant
group that includes Dos Caminos, Fiamma and Vento, and Clark Clark,
an owner and the bar director of Bar Marché, a restaurant in NoLIta.
They both have a firsthand view of the rum market, and as Mr. Klemm
said, "It's a one-brand country."
That brand, of course, is Bacardi, which makes, among other
products, the familiar white rum that is perfect for cocktails like
the Cuba libre, better known as rum and Coke, or as some cocktail
manuals like to put it, Bacardi and Coke. In drinks like that, or
like frozen daiquiris, the rum is overwhelmed by the accompaniments,
which is fine because these mass-produced rums have little flavor
anyway. But while we included two inexpensive Bacardi rums in our
tasting of 24 bottles, we were most interested in examining the true
flavors of rum. We ruled out two other highly popular categories of
rum: those with added flavors like lime, banana or coconut, and
spiced rums.
That left us with a narrow swath of rums, as far as sales go, but
we still needed to pare our choices. Since rum comes from so many
places, no single set of rules guides their production. Our 24
bottles alone included 18 from seven different Caribbean islands, two
from Central America, one from South America, one from Louisiana, one
from Australia and one from Mauritius in Africa. Some rums are
bottled without prior aging. Others are aged in barrels for anywhere
from a few months to 15 or 20 years.
They range in color from clear to beige to golden or amber to inky
dark, and while it may seem that darker colors correspond with longer
aging, that is not true. Many producers achieve a darker color by
adding caramel to the rum - no rules, remember? - which can also
affect the flavor, adding additional sweetness.
We decided to eliminate dark rums and limit ourselves to white and
amber rums, a distinction that was somewhat arbitrary but not
inappropriate for such a libertarian, swashbuckling spirit. As
someone who has enjoyed rum but hasn't made a study of it, I expected
the amber rums to be much more interesting than the whites. Indeed,
the amber rums had a lot of character. Many had a buttery quality
along with subtle, complex flavors that included vanilla, banana,
smoke and spice. But the whites were a tremendous surprise. The best
had a purity of flavor, a distinct sweetness that led me to believe I
was actually tasting sugar cane, along with other floral and fruit
flavors. The best amber rums, too, conveyed a pure cane quality.
"I found myself looking for a preservation of character,
telling me it wasn't a bourbon or a Scotch," Mr. Klemm said.
Some of the rums also had a distinct brininess to them that we all
found intriguing.
"Maybe proximity to the sea is reading too much into it,"
Ms. Fabricant said, reining in our tropical escape.
Our 24 rums were split, half and half, into ambers and whites, and
our Top 10 included, though not by design, five whites and five
ambers, demonstrating that great rums can come from any category. In
fact, our No. 1, 10 Cane from Trinidad, was one of those white rums
with enough of a beige tinge to fall somewhere in between the
categories. This rum is a new entry into the high-end rum market from
LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, the luxury goods company. At $43,
it was by far the most expensive bottle in our Top 10, though second
in price in the tasting to Bambu, a $60 bottle that narrowly missed
the cut. Ms. Fabricant called it elegant and Mr. Klemm found a "great
sense of terroir." I loved the smooth, slightly viscous texture
and the purity of flavors.
We tasted three rhum agricoles from Martinique, and all three made
the list, including the amber St. James Royal, which had lovely
floral flavors and was our best value. Perhaps it indicated a
preference for rums made in the agricultural style, from sugar cane
juice rather than molasses. It turns out that the 10 Cane was also
made from sugar cane juice. But all the other rums in our Top 10,
including the excellent No. 2, Demerara El Dorado, were made from
fermented molasses, so generalizations are difficult, except to say
that in most Caribbean islands, the choice of cane juice or molasses
is traditional more than anything else.
Perhaps the most familiar name on the Top 10 list is Mount Gay
Eclipse from Barbados, which you can find in just about every bar in
New York. Its popularity should not diminish the fact that it is a
fine rum, for sipping or for cocktails.
Among those rums that did not make the list were Inner Circle from
Australia, which we found overly harsh, and Starr Ultra Superior,
from Mauritius, which, though we all liked it, could not eke past La
Favorite, an agricole from Martinique. Mauritius, by the way, is
actually a small island in the Indian Ocean with climate, at least,
in common with the Caribbean islands. Though the island is not on the
triangle trade route, the fact that an African country is exporting
rum to the United States is both a reminder of what once was and a
sign of what may come.

PLACES YOU SHOULD VISIT. Rum DIstillers in the USA

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RUM DISTILLERS IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICABy State (Distiller's name is link - click to open)If listing is Preceded with *I* The Distiller has sales via internet. Please note many Diistillers offer sales outside their states -- Please go to the website and check if their products are available where you live.Alabama